California plans to seize farms to build water tunnels

August 18, 2015

California officials are preparing to take as many as 300 Central Valley farms by eminent domain in order to build water tunnels, according to a report prepared by state contractors. [ABC News]

Governor Jerry Brown is calling for the state to build two 30-mile tunnels in the delta formed by the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers. The plan targets public and private land in Sacramento, San Joaquin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

Landowners would have 30 days to consider and negotiate a one-time state offer, according to the 160-page property acquisition report. If landowners do not sell, officials will take their property by force.

Opponents of the plan obtained the property acquisition report through a California records request. Opponents say the water tunnels would jeopardize farming in the delta and would destroy vital wildlife habitat.

Brown has pushed for a delta makeover since he first held the governorship in 1970s and 1980s. In May, Brown told critics of the proposed tunnels to “shut up.”

Brown’s administration said it is essential to re-engineer water flows of the delta to undo mistakes of past water projects and to supply water to Southern California.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves 17 million people, would be one of the agencies to benefit from the tunnels. The Southern California district, as well as water agencies in the Bay Area and Central California, paid for the property acquisition plan, a Department of Water Resources spokesperson said.

The project is currently in a period for public comment on the environmental impact of the tunnels. The federal Environmental Protection Agency, which opposed a prior version of the project, must have its say, as well.

25 Comments

If you want to know how bad this all is and why they will not build dams,…want a train to nowhere,…are stealing private property…do a google search on Agenda 21. This comes from the UN. Also look up One Bay Area Plan. It is well documented. Sorry to say.

I would say now would be a good time to cease spending billions (TAX money) on a train, and divert those funds to a cross country pipeline to the Ol’ Miss. That is basically an endless supply of water. If they can build a Keystone, they can build a water pipe, right?

It’s all about priorities, and right now a pie in the sky ego-train is not on my list…
I’m afraid the Gov is a bit too vain to allow that to happen.

If these tunnels aren’t built NOW, the Central Valley will be a dustbowl in less than 5 years.
Then, we here on the Central Coast will be without water and food costs will be astronomical.
And all you mentally handicapped Republicans will be screaming for government to do something.
You really are dolts.

And the Democrats in control of California for decades have done what to help the water storage problem during these normal drought periods???? Easy answer nothing….. in fact they have made things worse.

You say if these tunnels aren’t built now, the Central Valley will be a dustbowl in less than five years. Interesting……..because, these tunnels are going to be built underground, they will carry water from No. Cal to So. Cal, JUST HOW will that help the Central Valley with their water issues.

We “mentally handicapped Republicans, HAVE NEVER screamed for government to do anything, quite the opposite, we wish that government would get their finger out of every pie, and stop trying to fix everything, pay for everything, influence everything and give everything to everyone. That is not their job.

I have a sneaking feeling that you actually know very little about how Government works, and even less about the Republican party. You are smug, condescending and just a name caller. While at the same time probably have your hand out for everything you can get for free. Typical Liberal.

Funny how arguments immediately jump to political name calling (mentally handicapped republicans).

Look at government’s 50 year track record of solving problems, both democrat and republican. Is anything ever accomplished except creation of new agencies and increased spending.

The article is talking about the government taking of people’s land that has likely been in their families for generations. It should not be entered into lightly.
Yet those that disagree are called mentally handicapped republicans.

If it were your land or property slowerfaster, you might be singing a different tune.

What a dork reply slowerfaster…Brown is the Demo(n) YOU voted in! Get off your Slow side and discover what republicans stand for. Def not taking over peoples’ property. Hint: Has to do with “LESS” government! And I am not even a registered republican! (Not any more)…but yes both are fully corrupt. Just you have your basket of eggs all mixed up.

It won’t be a dust bowl when it starts raining again. I know you believe that man controls weather and climate but we do no. Weather cyclesand it’s hall be wet again, probably just in time to collapse the tunnel these fools build.

They have to take the whole farm? Why not just an easement? How big are these pipes? they’re underground right? Why can’t the farmers farm on top of them when they are installed? Something stinks here, and it’s not the fertilizer.

So, this plan doesn’t do anything to produce or save any water. It is a revised plan (of a previously rejected plan) to redirect part of the Sacramento river so it can be delivered to southern California. More billions to be wasted on stupid ideas…